Triumph for a medical guinea pig

Triumph for a medical guinea pig

From Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

June 3, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

Laurie Peake shares her journey of recovery after a serious motorbike crash and her newfound passion for art.

Laurie Peake loved the outdoors, provided it involved speed. She had discovered a passion for skiing in Canada, and back home in England she loved water-skiing, dancing and motorbiking. That is, until a serious motorbike crash on a wintry day in the 1980s changed everything. Rushed to hospital, it looked as if Laurie would lose her lower leg. But a pioneering orthopaedic team thought otherwise, maintaining there was still hope. In a long battle which involved a technique only ever tried behind the iron curtain, they fought against the odds to save her leg. Laurie tells Dr Sian Williams how, during the process, she discovered a passion for art and art history – and reveals whether the experimental Ilizarov technique really worked. Producer: Tom Alban

People in this episode

Host: Dr Sian Williams

Guest: Laurie Peake

Topics covered

  • medical recovery
  • personal journey
  • art discovery
  • orthopaedic techniques
  • motorbike accident

Keywords

  • motorbike crash
  • orthopaedic team
  • Ilizarov technique
  • art history
  • recovery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC Radio 4

Products: Ilizarov technique

Books & works: art and art history

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